Findings from the analysis of 10,000+ anonymous responses will be presented at this week’s 2018 American Urological Association annual meeting

LIVERMORE, CA (May 16, 2018) – Sandstone Diagnostics – makers of the Trak® Fertility suite of at home male reproductive health products – will present results at this week’s American Urological Association (AUA) annual meeting in San Francisco correlating men’s responses to an online questionnaire of their health and lifestyle habits with self-reported time trying to conceive.

Male reproductive health is facing a global crisis, with recent studies showing that the average sperm count in men of reproductive age has fallen by more than 50% since the early 1970’s and showing no signs of slowing down. While more research is needed to pinpoint the root causes in the global decline, the changing health patterns and lifestyle habits of men is often cited as a contributing factor.

Since 2015, Sandstone has collected anonymous health and lifestyle questionnaire data from men trying to conceive as part of the company’s mission to help men identify and address potential risk factors for infertility based on clinical studies. The 30 question, 86 variable assessment includes factors such as men’s age, body size, nutrition, exercise habits, sleep behavior, and exposure to known occupational and environmental toxins. Sandstone reported initial findings from the assessment tool in October 2017.

In further analyzing results captured to date, Sandstone’s analysts found a very strong correlation between the summary “Risk Score” calculated from men’s responses and their self-reported time trying to conceive at the time of their assessment, suggesting that the tool can help couples identify potential male fertility difficulties early in the conception process and take proactive health, lifestyle, and specialized treatment steps to improve their chances of conception.

“Male reproduction remains an uncharted and poorly understood area of healthcare,” said Sandstone Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Greg Sommer, who will present the findings. “Our diagnostic and digital health tools have been designed from day one to not only help men and couples reach their fertility goals, but also to unlock new insights into how overall health and wellness can impact sperm production and men’s fertility.”

The presentation, entitled “Evaluation of a Preconception Male Fertility Risk Assessment Scoring Algorithm with Men Actively Trying to Conceive”, will be on Friday, May 18, at 1:10pm PT in Moscone Convention Center West, Room 2022, in San Francisco.

About Sandstone Diagnostics

Founded in 2012 in part by government scientists from Sandia National Laboratories, Sandstone’s mission is to provide innovative, data-driven tools to help men assess, manage, and improve their reproductive health. We are a team of scientists, developers, health and business professionals. We are also proud members of the Startup Health and Stanford StartX accelerator programs. But most importantly we are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends who care deeply about improving men’s reproductive health and helping people start their families. For more information, visit trakfertility.com, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter @TrakFertility.